Coming Home
by Charmedlovinit
Summary: As Piper's pregnancy draws near to teh end, of course things don't go to plan. A very real danger threatens her life, but when it's not supernatural, how do the supernatural sisters fight it?
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Ok Kiddos, i've booted KT out of my a/n. Well, you would, wouldn't you? Anyway, this one isn't a comedy, it's a fic written back in Sept. 02, again for a TS3 facfic competition. The premise was to write about the birth of Pipers baby, and include all 3 sisters (else, I may have left one out. *looks innocent*).It's two parter... enjoy, R&R, part 2 will follow next time (the end's a real kicker!).  
  
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Coming Home - Part One  
  
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There are no words to describe how it feels. Imagine you are small, and a large, powerful, sweaty man has you in a bear hug. Every thirty seconds he squeezes you extra hard; add to that the fact that you're in the dark. Each time he crushes you, your heart races in panic, simply because it's a terrifying experience. You literally cannot breathe. It's because of the pressure on the umbilical cord but... am I confusing you? Birth. I'm talking about birth. Of course, you may remember it, and that the moment we finally emerge from birth canal is when we have to hop into the body, but, then again, maybe you don't. Not everyone does. Some do, and will talk about it as a young child, but then the cares of life weigh on their shoulders and they forget. I remember and I know I'm supposed to. It's important to my family, but most of all I need to be able to explain to them why. Piper Halliwell, my Mother, will certainly want the answers. She's that kind of woman. I wonder how'll she react when she finds out my thoughts on what happened in the hours running up to my birth. Am I confusing you again? I'm Sorry. For those of you who don't remember, you are always near your mother, just not actually in the baby body she is growing for you until it's time to be born. So, you see it all, you hear it all,and sometimes, it's interesting.   
  
The midwife frowned as she took Piper's blood pressure. "Hmmm, it's a little high," she mused, but then as she looked into Piper's eyes, her face brightened considerably "But pretty normal at this stage of pregnancy. Any oedema?"   
  
Paige screwed her face up in confusion, her head tilting ever so slightly to the right, "odem-what you saying now? Is that serious?" Piper let a small laugh and looked across indulgently at Paige. They were in a small examination room of the hospital whilst the midwife went through the routine checks any sensible pregnant woman endures once a week for the final month.   
  
"No, Sweetie, she means water retention." Turning her gaze to the midwife she answered, "Well, yeah, a little."   
  
The midwife pressed on Piper's ankle as she spoke to her, "Ok, Piper, on the whole, you're doing really well. I've written your notes about the protein in your water. It is something we need to keep an eye on, so rather than come in next week we'd like to see you in two days." Pipers face darkened at this revelation, and whilst pulling herself up awkwardly into a sitting position questioned the midwife, a small frown danced on her forehead,  
  
"But... you just said I was doing ok. Why do you want to see me?"   
  
Paige immediately latching onto the worry in Pipers voice, overreacted slightly as she looked alarmed and said, "Yeah, if it's something to worry about shouldn't she be in the hospital?"   
  
The midwife, obviously used to dealing with this situation, was slightly jaded in her response "It's not a major concern, just something we need to monitor. I suggest you relax as much as possible. Would you like me to schedule a home visit for you, say, Thursday morning?"   
  
Piper, looking decidedly tired now into her 38th week of pregnancy looked almost relieved "Oh. Well, that would be love-"   
  
"Impossible!" blurted Paige, "remember, we have that... thing...   
with the people... so-" she looked intently at Piper, frantically trying to communicate with her eyes that it was far too risky to have the midwife visit the Manor.   
  
Weary, Pipers shoulders visibly sagged as she sighed "Yeah that's right. Ok, I'll get Phoebe to drive me next time Paige, you don't need to take time off."  
  
Paige and Piper left the hospital room and walked down the cool white corridor to the double doors that led to the car park. Paige, her arm linked through Pipers, stopped suddenly and slightly tugged on her arm "You know, you are supposed to rest, and it's-" she looked down at her watch, "oh no, the traffic is going to be at a standstill Piper. Lemme orb you?"   
  
"No, Paige. Granted this little sucker orbs me places of it's own free will every now and then, but what is my mantra for this pregnancy?"   
  
Paige rolled her eyes as she said, "Normal, normal, normal. But you know-"   
  
"I'm not going to get normal, I know. But if you think I'm gonna make it worse by orbing here, there and every where when we have a car... you're very much mistaken! Come on!" She paused momentarily as her eyebrows dipped every so slightly into a small frown, before moving as quickly as she could towards the doors. Paige was sure to try and argue her point further and the tightening she had just felt low down in her belly made her nervous. 'Nervous me plus argumentative Paige trying to make a point could easily escalate into trouble.' she thought.   
  
Nearly two hours later they were still not home. The traffic WAS at a standstill, the heat unbearable, and the atmosphere tense and silent. Paige muttered,  
  
"You wouldn't listen would you?" whilst fiddling with the radio. She turned to look at her sister, her eyes leaving the road momentarily, with a smug satisfied look that instantly fell when she caught sight of her. Pale, her face glazed in a shimmer of sweat, Piper looked decidedly ill. "Piper? Oh Honey, you look terrible. I'm turning back to the hospital."   
  
"No... we're nearer to home...just- I'll be fine" Piper almost gasped between breaths. Then she suddenly grabbed the dash leant forward as far as her swollen stomach would allow. As a low animalistic moan escaped her, panic washed over Paige. Her grip tightening on the wheel, she spluttered,  
  
"What? What is it?" instantly forgetting their disagreement over orbing home.   
  
"I think... my water just broke."   
  
"Geez Piper, I only just had the car valeted! That's it, we're orbing to the hospital!" But as Paige was pulling the car over to the side of the road, something in her deepest instinct was telling Piper where she wanted to be.   
  
"The Manor. Orb me home." She no longer cared about her 'normal, normal, normal.' mantra. The warm damp feeling was spreading further beneath her legs, and although heated discussion with Leo had Piper fighting the 'hospital delivery' corner, she now just needed to be at home. Pulling on the handbrake Paige began,  
  
"But-" and abruptly closed her mouth. She thought to herself 'Okay! Even I'm not stupid enough to argue with that look.' and held onto Pipers arm. "Ready?" she gently asked. Piper's lips were firmly pressed together, concentration etched on every contour of her face; she glanced at Paige and nodded.   
  
The swirl of tiny blue lights announced their arrival in the Manor hall seconds before they materialised, but there was nobody there to witness it.   
  
"Leo!" called Paige, "Phoebe!" whilst supporting Piper with her arm around her shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me in the car you were having contractions?" she shot at Piper.   
  
"Hmmm, I wonder why Paige? So that you could orb me somewhere instantly? You know I didn't want that. I-" lurching forward again, her hands instinctively reaching to her stomach she breathed "huuuuuuuurmmmmmmmm"   
  
"Another one?! LEO!" Paige's panic was evident as Leo appeared before them, the same pattern of swirling lights preceding him. "She's in labour, and getting pains every couple of minutes. Is that, like, normal?" rushed Paige as Leo went to Pipers other side. Breathing a long deep breath out Piper muttered,  
  
"Thank you Paige, I'm right here! I can speak for myself!" Leo pulled a face at Paige behind Piper's back as he led her to the couch saying,  
  
"Ok, who do I need to call? Only, in the birth plan, you wanted to be at the hospital-"   
  
"And now I want to be here!" Piper snapped. "My notes are in my bag, ring the number top right, they will tell you what to do-" Suddenly, she put her arms out as if to balance herself. 'Whoa, dizzy.' and then slumped down onto the couch. Whilst Leo rummaged in the bag to retrieve the notes, Paige was looking shell-shocked, as if the events had suddenly hit her, and hit her hard. Although in a daze from the outside, on the inside her thoughts and emotions were churning. 'Prue wouldn't have mentioned spoiling the car seat. Piper wouldn't have yelled at her. She wants her here, not me.'   
  
"I'll get Phoebe, will I?" she said softly and very slowly. At the very moment the words escaped her lips, Phoebe was entering the manor, looking bright, if a little tired.   
  
"I had the best day! I've been nominated for an award-" Seeing Paige she stopped "Hey, are you ok?"  
  
"Uh, I guess. It's Piper." she answered, pointing in the direction of the couch. Paige, continued to look as if she were somewhere else far removed as Phoebe rushed to crouch down beside Piper.   
  
"I'm in labour." A small smile crept onto Pipers mouth as she looked at Phoebe. "This is it; I'm going to be a Mommy. I just- why do I feel so ill? My... my hands are tingling." Leo was dialling the hospital as Phoebe let out a scream. He dropped the receiver and turned to see Piper convulsing.  
  
Part two to follow... 


	2. Conclusion of Coming Home

A/N: Previously on Coming Home... Hey, are you really expecting me to tell you?! Read Chapter One! Sheesh.  
  
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Coming Home Part 2  
  
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"Leo! Leo! Don't just stand there, heal her!" Phoebe screeched, grabbing Pipers hand which was clenched so tightly in a fist her fingernails were cutting into her palm. It was then the premonition exploded into Phoebe's head.   
  
Observing the doctor writing the death certificate from over his shoulder, Phoebe could also see the detailed autopsy report. The doctor actually looked sad as he looked over at both the bodies lying on the slab, side by side. However many deaths he encountered as a professional, a mother and child dying in childbirth was always heart wrenching. He sighed and checked the time on the report before filing in the 'time of death' line. Phoebes power had grown to level that she actually knew what he was thinking, and somehow possessed the expertise behind the thinking.  
  
'Once the eclampsia is full blown it's a race against the clock. Such a shame. Such a shame.'   
  
In the ten seconds it took for the premonition to race through her consciousness, Phoebe knew every detail of what was about to happen in the next twelve hours. Both Piper and the Baby were about to die.  
  
Phoebe jolted backwards as the premonition flashed away. Leo was looking stricken, as one hand hovered over Pipers head and the other over her stomach.   
  
"It's not working, IT'S NOT WORKING!" he desperately rasped, tears streaming down his face as Piper continued to repeatedly bash her head backwards, her body as stiff as a board, teeth and hands clenched. Slipping his hand under her legs he went to lift her into his arms as he said, "The hospital." Phoebe, her mind racing for an answer, a way out of this destiny playing out in her head laid her hand on Leo.   
  
"No, it will be too late. If we don't get the baby out within minutes they will both die. She's developed eclampsia; the baby is breech and stuck in the birth canal. The only way we can save them is with magic."   
  
"But... how? They can't do this to me," he spat through gritted teeth, "Do you hear me!?" he shouted to the ceiling "You can't take them from me, not now!" Phoebe, however, was pacing.   
  
"What can we do, oh God, what can we do?" she was muttering over and over, hoping that the inspiration would hit her. "Paige!" she called, "get over here and think, quick!"   
  
"Huh?" Paige shook her head and 'came to'. She surveyed the scene before her and instantly her throat constricted so that it became hard to breath. Her eyes widened in shock, and at the same time a feeling of inadequacy washed over her. She was the youngest, still a novice really, and only half a witch at that. How could she possibly help?   
  
"PAIGE!" Phoebe yelled, and Paige's head snapped round to look Phoebe in the eye, "We need to formulate a spell, NOW!" The room seemed to fall into slow motion as Paige stepped forward to go to her sisters' side, until incredulous, Paige realised the room had frozen. Everything. Even Phoebe and Piper.   
  
"Paige..." her name echoed softly around her and a feeling of warmth spread slowly from within her core. The feeling of helplessness was fading, being replaced by a confidence, a knowing, and a belonging. "Yes, half a witch," breathed the voice, "but unique... Save your sisters... call for the baby."  
  
And suddenly, the room snapped to life again. Leo cradling Pipers face, desperately trying to prevent the thud, thud, thud of the back of her head hitting the cushions. Phoebe seeing her premonition coming true before her eyes, unable to stop it. Her face devoid of colour, she wailed "Somebody help us!" Paige felt self-doubt creep back, slowly, stealthily.   
  
"I've never done anything like this before-" yet she stepped forward. Phoebe was now shaking her head, the tears forming,   
  
"No... no." she softly whispered, "Not again."  
  
Shaking, Paige held out her hands and said, she hoped confidently, "Baby!" She watched in wonder as Piper's stomach glowed white. Phoebe gasped, her hands travelling to her mouth, knowing this was not part of what she had witnessed just moments ago. Something was changing. Leo stepped back, and also looked on, stupefied. Bright pure white tiny orbs gathered above Pipers stomach as her body fell still. The room seemed to glow, as the miracle that was being witnessed concluded with the orbs travelling to Paige and forming into a small perfect baby in her hands. Unaware that she had been holding her breath, Paige sucked in a lungful of air before looking down. Phoebe came to her side to also look down on this child she has fully expected to die. It hadn't yet cried, but as Phoebe stood beside Paige, and wondered at it's dear little face all screwed up and red, it opened it's eyes. Once again, Phoebe gasped. She had already noticed a shock of black Halliwell hair, and now the baby observed her with green eyes.   
  
"Leo, come see." she whispered, turning to him. He was on his knees next to Piper, who had now opened her eyes; she looked across at Paige holding her daughter and said just one word: "Prue."  
  
And so, that is how I was born. Maybe one day I will tell Paige it was me who gave her the nudge in the right direction she needed. Piper doesn't remember saying my name as she awoke. Maybe one day, I will explain to her that in her moment between life and death, she actually saw my soul rather than the body she had lovingly nurtured for me. I'm home again. That's all that matters. 


End file.
